Marketing franchises presents distinct challenges from promoting stand-alone businesses. A unified brand identity must be maintained across all locations while helping individual franchisees compete (and win) locally. Strong brands have a unique, appealing look — and a message that creates a positive impression in the minds of both customers and prospects. Branding is the foundation of any marketing effort, but it may be even more important for franchise businesses.
So, what does strong branding mean for a franchise, especially when it’s a part of the larger corporate brand?
The branding and marketing strategy that works best for one franchise location may be entirely different from what converts leads at another. First and foremost, it’s critical to know your individual franchise markets and target them accordingly. If a franchise is located in the heart of a college town, your marketing and outreach must be guided by that — and the ideal strategy will be quite different than if you’re located in a retirement community or industrial park.
Here are additional tips and strategies for marketing and branding franchises.
Stick to the franchise branding guide. While as a franchisee you want to differentiate yourself locally, departing from your corporate identity is definitely not the way to go about it. You purchased a franchise in part because of brand recognition. But straying from brand standards can undermine all of that in the eyes of potential customers. Adhere to established guidelines to leverage the strengths of your parent company.
Concentrate on local SEO. Your Google Business Profile is at the heart of your local search strategy and managing it effectively is necessary to land a prized spot in the Google 3-pack (now called the Google Local Pack). At Kymera, our experts can help maximize your local presence. We’ll keep your profile up to date with business directory syncing to make sure your company information shows up consistently online to maximize visibility.
Use social media to set your franchise apart. Engage your local community and show the distinct personality of individual franchise locations — and be sure your channels reflect your customer demographics. For example, if you’re located in a corporate office park, leverage LinkedIn — but in a college town, Instagram may be more central to your strategy. You can post behind-the-scenes sneak-peak videos with employees, promote special offers, run contests, and respond and engage with local customers and prospects who post on your channels.
Use paid media strategically. Run paid ad (Google PPC and social media) campaigns that target your franchise’s city or neighborhood. You can also bid on competitors’ branded keywords to try to draw their customers.
Get involved IRL. Participate in community in-person events to boost your local presence. Sponsor a high school team or club, have employees take part in the town parade or support a worthy nonprofit to gain valuable PR. Use eye-catching vehicle wraps for your fleet to promote your franchise while your service vehicles circulate around town.
Leverage content marketing. Various types of content can be created and deployed to attract, engage and generate leads while promoting brand awareness, including blogs, videos, podcasts and newsletters. Create content specifically for each of your franchise’s buyer personas and marketing channels. Use a content calendar to organize social media campaigns around the specific products and services you offer.
Mind your reputation. According to Statistica, about seven in 10 online shoppers typically read one to six customer reviews before making a purchasing decision in 2021. And less than one in 10 consumers reported reading no reviews before buying. That means reputation management is essential. Kymera can set up an online review system for an individual franchise — or an entire franchise organization — that encourages customers to leave positive reviews.
Your Franchise Branding and Marketing Expert
Kymera can help corporate franchises:
- Create logos and brand standards.
- Provide online review management.
- Develop franchisee websites.
- Produce signage and print collateral.
- Implement and manage social media campaigns.
- Wrap your fleet of vehicles.
- Design and deliver targeted direct mail campaigns.
Contact one of Kymera’s franchise marketing experts today to help you build your brand — and your bottom line!
Source
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1020836/share-of-shoppers-reading-reviews-before-purchase/
